India, Bahrain sign pact for healthcare opportunities

16 July 2018 | News

India's total capital investment into Bahrain between January 2003 and March 2018 has been estimated at $1.69 billion.

India and Bahrain have agreed to make pharmaceuticals a key area of cooperation after the second High Joint Commission meeting led by External Affairs Minister Susham Swaraj and Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa in Manama.

"Bahrain and India agreed to explore opportunities healthcare industry and welcomed the signing of an MoU for cooperation in the field of healthcare, which would contribute in expanding the cooperation between the two countries making pharmaceuticals a key priority area in the bilateral relations," said a joint statement issued following the meeting.

India and Bahrain also noted the existing potential for two-way investments and reaffirmed their desire to provide favourable environment for investments, both from public and private sectors, from the two countries.

Both sides agreed on the importance of regular and timely exchange of information on available investment opportunities.

Both sides discussed in detail various aspects of bilateral relations including "ways and means to expand cooperation in the fields of education, health, housing, renewable energy, space cooperation, tourism, culture, youth and sports, women empowerment, customs, oil and gas and petrochemicals; security, defence and intelligence training and exchange of expertise, cooperation between universities in both countries and the possible exchange of researchers and faculty members in the fields of food security, cyber space and energy.

Bilateral trade between India and Bahrain stood at over $875 million as of February this year, according to figures provided by the External Affairs Ministry. India's total capital investment into Bahrain between January 2003 and March 2018 has been estimated at $1.69 billion.